Surname Wallen - Meaning and Origin

From Unexpected Origins to Emotional Connections: My iGENEA Journey with the Wallen Surname (

Using the iGENEA DNA testing service, I unearthed surprising revelations about my ancestral roots, giving new depth and breadth to my understanding of the Wallen surname. The journey, packed with unexpected discoveries, profoundly changed my outlook on my lineage and identity.

S. Wallen

Wallen: What does the surname Wallen mean?

The surname Wallen is of English origin and is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word "weall", meaning wall. The name is a topographic one, traditionally given to people who lived near a prominent wall often associated with a town's outer fortification or a city wall. It could also possibly refer to someone who worked as a builder of walls or a mason. So, Wallen directly translates to 'someone who lived by a wall', 'wall-builder' or 'the one from the place near a wall'. This surname has various forms of spelling including Wallin, Wallan, Wallon, and Wallen among others. Today, the last name Wallen is carried by many families, especially significantly found in Sweden, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

Wallen: Where does the name Wallen come from?

The last name Wallen is most commonly found in Sweden, particularly in the southern part of the country. It is also found in parts of Finland, Canada, and America. The name Wallen originates from the Swedish spelling of the biblical town of Walen, meaning 'war settlement'. It is also sometimes derived from the German words 'wal' (wood) and 'en' (place or vineyard) or from the Swedish 'vild' (wild) and 'en' (place). Wallen is an uncommon but not rare last name in the United States, with roughly 1,734 people per million population bearing the name. In Sweden, the last name is more common, with 8,423 individuals per million population.

The Wallen ancestral line is most certainly rooted in the south Swedish provinces of Skåne and Halland. By tracing an early settler of the Wallen name back to the 1700s, you can find the name present in the Swedish church records from the 1800s. This indicates that the ancestors of the Wallen line had likely been present in the region before then.

Today, the last name Wallen lives on in its ancestral homeland of Sweden through direct descendants and in other countries as immigrants and those of Scandinavian descent. The Wallen name is unique and carries with it a sense of history and culture, which continues to be kept alive throughout the generations by those bearing the last name.

Variations of the surname Wallen

Surnames are a source of great interest for genealogists, as they provide insights into family histories. The surname Wallen is a patronymic surname derived from the given name Walle or Wally, both of which are forms of the popular Anglo-Saxon given name Huw.

The most common spelling and variant of Wallen is Wallen, however there are many variations and alternate spellings, including Wallon, Wallin, Walen, Wollan, Walan, Walling, Wallington, Walles, Wallens, Wallams, Wallens, Wallensberg, Wallenskov, Wollens, Wallenstein, Wallenski, Wallensky, Walker, Wallone, and even Wallin.

The Wallin spelling is the most heavily concentrated in Sweden, although the Wallen spelling is also commonly found in the region as well. In Germany and Scandinavia, the Wallens and Wallin spellings of the surname are the most widely encountered.

In terms of surnames of the same origin, the Walker surname is one possible variant of Wallen, as Huw is a Welsh form of the name John. Wallon is another variation of the Wallen surname, while Walin is another form of the same Anglo-Saxon root.

Wallin is also the base origin for surnames such as Wallington, Wallenstein, and Wallensky. Variations of Wallin can also be found in the form of Wallinslaw, Wallinscott, and Wallinhoff.

All in all, the surname Wallen has many variations, spellings, and derivations, and can also be found in many forms and spellings around the world. The diversity of the surname is a testament to its rich history and offers genealogists and family historians a wealth of insight into their ancestor's origins and identities.

Famous people with the name Wallen

• Noah Wallen: American football player and coach
• Luke Wallen: American actor
• Ylvis Wallen: Norwegian comedian
• Marcus Wallen: Swedish football player
• Elisabeth Wallen: Norwegian Olympic swimmer
• Ruby Wallen: British singer-songwriter and actress
• Edward Wallen: British actor
• Jason Wallen: American basketball player
• Tucker Wallen: American musician and composer
• David Wallen: American poet and short story writer
• Gary Wallen: English football manager and coach
• Riccardo Wallen: Italian TV presenter
• Ann Wallen: English composer and choral conductor
• Alex Wallen: American actor and screenwriter
• Justin Wallen: Canadian film director
• Fernando Wallen: Swedish hip hop/R&B singer and songwriter
• Anna Wallen: Swedish actress
• Kjell Wallen: Norwegian poet and author
• Marie-Louise Wallen: Swedish business executive and company director
• Ruth Wallen: Australian composer and pianist

Other surnames

WallenbornWallenczusWallendschusWallendszusWallendzusWallenßusWallentaWallentinWallentowitschWallentowitzWallenzusWallerWallersheimWallersteinWalles